Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1887-08-20
his well-muscled quarters

trembled with suppressed excitement,
while his thin nostrils expanded and con-
tracted in regular clock-work way. 1t
seemed a shame that such splendid ami
NAL should possess a single bad quality,
for he looked the perfection of equine ex-
cellence. He allowed Smoke to handle
him at will and seemed to enjoy the odd
air that the niger hummed. The blank
cts were finally replaced and Smoke
seated himself on a box while the colt
turned to a small pile of dustless and
well-matured hay.
"'Tell me about your dream said to
Smoke seeing that he was itching to
say something.
"'You see, boss he began, Iknows
desc odder niggahs and some OBJ de white
boys don't keer much fur Smoke, and you
kin bet dat Smoke returns de compli-
ment. Well, Use boun' dat dey don't
give de brack de rozzle dozzle, so l sticks
close to de stall all de time. l got my
traps in shape for de race, washed out de
rags and struck de straw las night-a
purity tired coon. You bet. l didn't
scor many times fore l was off for good
start. 1t was den dat dreamed bout de
race. 1t was just as plain as de daylight,
an de horses seemed to be all dere. |
was 'feard de colt would act de debbil in
de crowd, but he galloped easy an den
walked to de flag quieter dan Batche-
lor's old mare. De Texas mare was
quick an couldn't git de word for some
time, but, fin'ly, de rag dropped an away
all went. Dat gray mare went away in
de lead-de bay was close up an de
brack dropped in behind her an was run
ming powerful free. got my orders fur
to trail It'll de las quarter an den make
my run an 1 intended fur to follow dem
orders. De first mile killed de ole mare
an she dropped back an let me come
mex de gray. l had good, strong
pull on de brack. an he war fighting fur
his head all de way. didn't want to git
him mad fur fear he would do some dirt,
so / had to let him slip along. war at
de gray's rump at de half, an had never
asked dat brack debbil for lick In de
straight seed Brownie raise de CAD
an bring de red from dat gray hide.
Den knowed de race war mine, fur I
war leading by throatlatch an pulling
hard. pulled de brack in when found
dat de gray was busted, an den Brown
ME tried to cut me down an struck at de
colt. When seed dis, 1 jes' let go dem
ribbons an de brack shot down de track
like one OBJ dem ALFRED cannon balls.
De people jumped up an yelled when
dat colt scooteG under de wire, an de
noise mus have Weakened me, for was
scared. De colt was stretched out on de
straw snorin', an all was kerrect, but
dis yer coon couldn't sleep no mo- dat
trip. tells you, Masssa "Paw-Paw," Pse
gwine to win dat race sure, an you puts
your small change on de brack colt
what "Smoke" rides
"Such, boys, was Smokes dream, and
it made a great impression on me. had
fully made up my mind to risk hundred
or so on the old mare, for I expected
that she would outlast the little gray,
but Smokes dream rather upset me and
l didn't know how to turn at first.
Smokes earnest manner rather con-
WINGED me that / should trust to luck and
the coon's dream, so l succeeded in getting
nearly all the pools on the Longfellow
colt. The race you all will remember,
and do not wish to rake over old sores,
but how you all plunged on the mare,
and how badly you were left Tell you
about the race? Well, since some Of
you didn't see it, l suppose l must:
When l went to the track | sought out
to follow his colors, and showed him my
tickets. If you ever saw tickled mig
ner, Smoke was one, and he swore that
he would die before he would let
my money burn up. He showed
me his new jacket of orange
and black, and said that the colt
must carry it to the front or die in the
attempt I rather liked the earnest way
in which he spoke, and, going to the
stand, put hundred more on the colt.
The horses took their work just as
Smokes dream predicted and my cour-
age began to rise. 1t was then that I
created a rumpus by betting old John
fifty that neither the gray nor his old
mare would win the race. The gray de-
layed the start, but finally the flag fell
with the gray, the bay and the black In
front. All eyes were on the mare and no
one cared much about the black except
old Ben and myself. As the horses fin
ished the first mile the old bay dropped
back to third place, while the black
moved up to the gray. At the half he
was at her flank and soon had slight
lead. Smoke took him back In the
stretch, and the rider of the gray tried
to cut him down. Failing to do this, he
then tried to hit the black, believing that
he would quit if whipped, but Smoke
quickly gave him his head and he finished
fast and strong, just like his old daddy
did when he beat Harry Bassett years
ago. shall never forget poor Smoke
when he returned to weigh out. He
could not speak, but staggered to the
scales, and when Flynn told him to step
down he turned and fell, the blood
gushed from his mouth, and we all
thought Smokes time had come. A
carriage was sent for and the sick jockey
was taken to his quarters. A purse was
made up, the losers on the race contest
ing with the few winners in trying to
make the purse as valuable as possible.
AS gave it to Smoke he looked up and
said:
"'Say, boss, done tole you dat brack
colt was de winner, and you done laugh
at poor Smoke" but guess dat dis mig
gah can dream de truf sometimes
w Mo KINa